December 14, 2018 • 44 mins
Doug tells you why the Chiefs should be more worried about their offense than their defense after a 2nd half collapse against the Chargers. He compares the Steelers and Patriots game on Sunday to a blockbuster movie. NBA Champion Dahntay Jones joins the show to tell Doug if Laker fans should be concerned about LeBron James’ struggles at the free throw line.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the best of the Doug Gottlieb
Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday
from three to six pm Eastern Time that's twelve to
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(00:22):
of the Doug Gottlieb Show on Fox Sports Radio. Boom,
What Up America? Doug Gottlieb Show, Fox Sports Radio. Man,
did I feel like an idiot? And then I felt
like the smartest man on Earth? Uh? That's how it
works in sports radio. Told you the boats of Boltz
(00:42):
are pretty good. Uh. The Chargers come from down fourteen
two different times in the fourth quarter to steal a
win in Kansas City. And that's where we begin. Um.
Full disclosure, Okay, full disclosure. The way it works in
southern California. Uh. And the look I had the choice,
I probably could have could have moved right down the street.
(01:04):
Are our studios are in a really nice area. It's
just on an area that I've ever lived in before
I grew up, So I live closer to where I
grew up, closer to my mom and my friends. So
it takes between an hour and an hour and a
half to get home, depending upon the day and time
of day. Usually, Um, the same is true. I think
for our entire crew. Dan Buyer works a little bit longer.
(01:26):
Uh same to a John Ramos and with Ryan Music,
and we had a some sort of Christmas holiday sire
down the street which I had I could drink and
a half and then hopped in my car because my
daughter had a garage band concert. My we do a
basketball workout and I got the game to pay attention to.
So I listened to the game for the most part
(01:47):
and then watch the game on my phone and then
watch the end at my house. Ramos, how much you
were at the you came to the suare so too?
Did Buyer? So to do music. We're the only show
unit in its entire need to show up. That's just
because we're better than other people and because right down
the street and there's free booze. Um, what did you
(02:09):
watch the entire game? Did you watch it? I know?
I know Music had two parties to go to and
then taped it, watched it, fell asleep woke up watched
it again. What was your How did you watch the game?
I actually did what you did on the way home.
I listened to it on the radio. Shockingly enough, Yes,
with our good friend Matt money Smith who calls the
games for the Charges Radio network, and Daniel Jeremiah Show.
(02:32):
Um okay, and then Buyer, how did you? And by
the way, Dan, Buyer Show is Sunday mornings nine eastern
six o'clock in the morning Pacific time, getting you ready
huge weekend fantasy football of course something you have that
game and two other Saturday games in the bank, so
your fantasy playoff will be well underway. Dan, how did
you watch? A listen to the show? One of the
(02:52):
benefits of l A traffic is that you could put
the game on your phone and I watched the first
quarter while sitting in traffic on the way home, and
then saw the final three quarters from my house. All right,
does stick with Usdan? I know you're busy if you
have to go um and then music you watch? So okay,
So let me start with you Buyer. If I had
to say, what's your takeaway from the game? When is it? Um?
(03:15):
That the in the time that they needed it the most.
The Chief's defense was what they were and that Kansas City,
Um yeah, yeah, I'll just leave it at that. Just
the Chiefs defense was what they thought we thought they were. Okay,
what about you music, what would you be your your takeaway?
(03:36):
Very similar to dance that in the early parts of
the NFL season, everyone, especially after that Rams Chief's game
of a few weeks ago, Oh, this is the new NFL.
You gotta score thirty five points a game. It's all
about offensive shootouts. But my takeaway was the Chiefs will
not be a team that will make a deep playoff
(03:57):
run if their defense continues to let them down when
they tip against other talented teams. Okay, uh, Ramos, you're
gonna just agree with them, and that I am not.
My take it would be that Philip Rivers came through
in the clutch that he he did have. There's a
little Tebow aspect to and we used to make fun
of Tebow getting credit for putting on a fire he started.
(04:18):
I mean the first throw of the game, he had
Tyrol Williams wide open, he under throws it, and I
mean the last thing you want to do is you know,
started out down fourteen and nothing, which is exactly what happened.
He threw another interception at the end of the half
that could have tied up the game, like he could.
I felt like he had some good throws in the
first half, but I didn't think he played particularly well
(04:40):
at all at all. Uh And yet late in the
game he made so many throws, including that fourth down
throw which everyone's raving about, where Williams wasn't even looking
and hadn't even you know, started his break yet when
Philip kind of anticipatory throw a lot like Peyton Manning
late in his career, through it before the break and
(05:01):
ends up getting that fourth down. Um, look, I think
there's a bunch to it. Let me just kind of
go go through my takeaways. One, I don't think the
Chiefs are what they were a couple of weeks ago.
And I think a good part of it is, even
though they've established they have a really good depth of
running backs, you'll lose your starter. You're not going to
(05:23):
be as good. And remember I'm not a big Sammy
Watkins guy, but you'll lose Sammy Watkins and you're not
going to be as as good. Considering they're at home,
considering how they dominated the first half with their screen
game and with hard counts Pat Mahomes, I mean, his
escapability was remarkable. People are you know it's Mahomes magic
(05:44):
to be up fourteen the first half and to not
win that game. Forget about the fourth quarter because we've
seen fourth quarter comebacks before. And then yes, there is
their defense. Is their defense bad or disappointing? Sure? And
now you know one of their best defensive backs to
at interception last night ends up breaking his wrist and
has surgery today. Like it feels like it's getting bad
or given getting worse, even with even with Eric barryback um.
(06:08):
But I do think there's something to the fact that
they had a three and out when it was a
seven point game. They could not you know, it's it's
the they could not stay on the football field. Uh,
there were a couple of the opportunity. Was another time
when when Andy Reid chose to punt um and I
think that was after a kick return to like the
(06:29):
fifty yard line and their ten of eleven on fourth down,
and the Charges have really struggled to get off the
field on fourth down. So there is something to the
Chiefs are in postseason form when they have a lead
and can't hold onto it. And is there defense an issue? Absolutely?
Is Ryan Music correct in the old the adage of
(06:50):
defense winning championships couldn't have been wrung more true in
the Chargers defense that couldn't put any pressure on Mahomes early,
but it started to hit him late in the first half,
early in the second half and made some big plays
and made some big plays to get the ball back.
But there is something a little bit missing about that
offense that I think is going is not going to
(07:12):
be pointed out, like, Look, do I think Mahomes is
gonna take too many chances and that's gonna get them? Yeah,
I think there's a possibility of that. Um And I
also think that the Chargers are a team that if
they went out, I don't think. I don't know the
Chiefs are gonna win in Seattle. They can have home
field advantage throughout and they're gonna be better. They're gonna
have Melvin Gordon, They're gonna have Austin Neckler, and I
(07:33):
think they're gonna have a Hunter Henry for the playoffs.
That's crazy crazy, So uh, whereas the Chiefs some through
you know, you have to get rid of your best
running back and that's not something that was that was
preventable or anybody could have seen happening. But you lose
Kareem Hunt and you're not the same running the football
that has allowed you to be different in terms of
(07:56):
what happens when you have a lead. But they couldn't
get a first down late when they needed it. So
we can talk about their defense all we want, but
the offense left a lot to be desired in that
they uh, you know, they weren't able to be nearly
as dominant in the second half. When you have a
lead and you're playing at home, you gotta stay on
(08:16):
the field and keep that defense off the football field
and make it so that the Chargers can't run the
football so they have to throw it. So your your
defensive your defensive line, which dominated the good first half
of the game. That's really I mean, the story the
first half was not as much Mahomes. It was the
defensive line of the Kansas City Chiefs and how well
they played. My dude, Chris Jones is an absolute Chris
(08:41):
Jones has fourteen sacks on the year. How many people
buyer you? You know the NFL, you covered the NFL.
You do a fantasy show, and granted we picked defense
and special teams, and nobody would pick the defense of
the Kanda Chiefs. How many people out out of Kansas
City could pick Chris Jones? Would say? You said, Chris Jones,
(09:03):
what does he do in the NFL? Would say, he
might be the best defensive end in the league this year.
Let's say it is a great third down back for
pick a team. Yeah, no, nobody really would. Usually you
hear Justin Houston and that's that like d Ford only
d Yeah, maybe, but I think it's more of you
(09:25):
may hear Derek Johnson before you had here you did.
No one said can they block Chris Jones christerday. No
one said can they block Chris Jones? And he was
an absolute monster? I mean a monster. How about Justin
Houston only has six and a half sacks this year
forty three yards? Uh loss though, um, But Chris Jones
(09:46):
has fourteen sacks on the year. So look my take.
What do I think their defense is good? No? I
think their defense stinks. I think their linebackers are awful
and coverage. A matter of fact, it looked like Derrick
Johnson was on the field because no one, none of
their linebackers recovering. And this is also a team that's
playing without their starting running back who will expose the linebacker,
and without their starting tight end to expose a linebacker.
(10:08):
That's how bad their linebackers are. But I also think
that the offense couldn't get a first down when it
got the ball back up a touchdown, and Quiet has
kept like that is a huge huge issue heading forward.
What a story though, What a story? I mean, how
good and how good is Philip Rivers? After the game,
(10:29):
he gets up there and he and then the to
to point out that he didn't think they were going
for two and they just society to go for two. Um,
to take a listen to Philip Rivers after the game,
I was going to sideline, it's going over time, and
Coach Land said, let's go win it right now, let's
go for two. Let's go win it right now. And
when he said that, there was so much conviction from him.
(10:49):
It was yeah, let's go win it right now. And
it was immediately turned around, let's go win it. I mean,
and if we didn't win it, we didn't win it.
But I think his conviction it wasn't like it wasn't
it was, no, let's go win the game. Look, I
think this's going going to win the game. Thing is
like the flu, like everybody's kind of got it, and
everybody's feeling like, oh, yeah, I got I must have
a little bit of flu. I gotta go for it,
(11:10):
but uh, I didn't love it. And then all of
a sudden, they run apparently the same play they ran
for Mike Williams touchdown and he was wide open. I
think that's why. I think that's why people are are
more on the defense. It's not that you got beat.
It's not that Philip Rivers came back and let you up.
You know it's Philip Rivers and they do. But it's
(11:31):
they didn't have Keenan Allen, they didn't have Hunter Henry,
they didn't have Melvin Gordon. And on the very last two,
like who scores a two point conversion? Where you are
there's no one within fifteen yards of you. I have
never seen that ever before. And it wasn't a trick play,
just a Mr Simon at the worst possible opportunity. And
(11:54):
how crazy would it be if the Chargers who have
struggled and I am the only Charger fan history of
National Sports Radio. If the Chargers have home field advantage,
everybody do the fingers thing, the finger quote thing, home
field advantage. Playing at Stop Up Seed, it's a great place.
I'm gonna try and rally the boys to go next
(12:15):
Saturday night again, see you, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens
come in town. Be sure to catch live editions of
the Doug Dot Leaps Show week days in noon eastern
three pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the I
Heart Radio app. Let's welcome to Eric Mangini, the former
head coach of the Browns former head coach of the Jets,
are hood coach here at Fox Sports Radio and Fox
(12:35):
Sports One. Eric, how much more buying is there after
watching the Chargers come from behind on the road in
those two environments. Oh look, it's so different points. Because
I'm sure it will be traumatically happen. I can see
why people have some concerns and look at at what
(12:57):
happened against the Steelers, and and they didn't way well
at all in the first half, and and then they
did a great comeback. And that's you. You respect that
and you respect their ability to do those things. But
sometimes the magic dust runs out, and it often runs
out in the playoffs. So if you are going to
dig yourself in the hole, yeah it is. It's fantastic
(13:19):
that you can dig yourself out, But why are you
getting in those places in the first place? And I
think that's where what I've had problem mind and is
at some point you're not going to be able to
creep these comebacks and and the other the others two balls.
Uh yeah, I mean like, look, you don't have Melvin Gordon,
either of those two. And he may not be their
(13:40):
best player, but he's in the conversation there. All right,
let's get to the other side. Um, what's your level
of concern with the Chiefs, who you know, kind of
the opposite right, They're able to get a big lead,
They're able to put up points, but not able to
hold on and manage manage that lead. Yeah. Look, I've
had a love look concerned for a while and and
(14:02):
like everybody, I'm impressed by a lot of things that
that Patrick Mahomes does. But you you learn about young
quarterbacks during the course of the season, and defensive coordinators
learn about young quarterbacks during the course of the season,
and people start to understand how you have to play
play those teams, and and part of this is in
(14:24):
the in those big moments. You'd like to see him
to continue to to make plays in the big games
that he's had to be able to come out with wins,
whether it's it's New England or or last night. And
and maybe I'm being too hard on him at this point,
but it does have to be a collective effort on
(14:45):
the half, the half of of Kansas City to protect
that defense. The defense is obviously behind where the offense is,
and and you've got to play complimentary football. You've gotta
understand that when you've got those leads, Now, what can
we do to make sure we protect these leads? Yeah,
I mean, like, look as much as the defense, uh
(15:06):
gave up those last two touchdowns and a two point
conversion where MIKEA. Williams is wide open. It wasn't like
they got an onside kick. Kansas City couldn't hold on
the football, you know, couldn't play play ad on, couldn't
get three points at home with this prolific offense when
they needed it most. Fair, It's absolutely fair. And and
you know what, you we can start as a team
(15:28):
and and you realize that there's gonna be a lot
of games where you do have those leads, and you've
you've got to look at it in terms of how
can we best protect this? And some teams take the
approach that we're just going to continue doing what we
do because that's what created the success in the first place.
And then other other people have a very specific plan
(15:48):
in place to make sure that that they transition into
a ball control mentality. And both have worked for guys,
but it's gonna be an issue for Kansas City moving forward.
Was it a smart move? I know we we so
often judge the result, and if you can run a
two point play where Mike Williams wide open the end zone,
I guess you know it's a smart move. But in reality,
(16:10):
when you dominate time of possession and you know the
defense on the field thirty three minutes, I know you're
on the road. Was it a smart move for the
Charger to go for two? It's so funny because you
look at Dallas's situation where they get the ball in overtime,
they ground the field and score and and you think, man,
(16:31):
maybe maybe they should have gone for two in that game.
Or you look at Tennessee when they went for two
and they didn't make it and get dramatic effects, And yeah,
you could have dramatic effect against UH for their playoff opportunities.
And so it ends up being a result based evaluation.
(16:52):
But I understand I understand why if they lose the
toss and Ken said it gets the ball back, they
could be very easily in the situation that we saw
in the dallastand last week where they never get a
chance to possess it and they go home wishing that
they had gone for two. So I like the call.
I liked how definitive he was about the call that
it sounds like there wasn't any debate, there wasn't any
(17:14):
indecision in his mind. Obviously the play worked out great,
but you know, rarely do the other guy running free
in that situation, but it makes sense against that offense.
Crazy crazy stuff. And even even more even crazier is
that the UH the Charges could end up with the
same record as the Kandy Chiefs and yet only host
(17:35):
a wild card game not and then then go on
the road either to New England or go on the
road UH, you know to Kansas City in the in
the second round. Let's let's get to New England. Um,
here's one where based upon the result, you think, oh man,
they lost that game. Now you have to win in Pittsburgh.
If you gave me a status report on the Patriots,
what would it be? It would be uh out is quote.
(18:01):
And and that's the thing about being in New England
and and different than a lot of teams. Whether you
win big, whether you lose big, whether you win close
or lose close, it's it's an evaluation of what happened,
what you can take away, and then it's moving on
to the next opponent, and you're not getting caught up
with you know, we could be the home team, we
(18:22):
could be the way team. We could have to do this,
we could have to that. Nobody talks in those terms.
And one of the things that that bill does so
well is maintaining that focus. And it's it's an art.
It's really difficult because there's so much noise happening outside.
It's it's the media, it's your family, it's the fans,
it's everywhere it's talking about the what is. But when
(18:43):
you're in that building, it's only about what's next. And
it really gets down to doug where it's what's the
next meeting, what's the next what's what's the next activity,
whether it's lifting or whatever the case may be, it's
it's that sort of defined approach that gives him the
best chance to succeed and and doesn't put him on
(19:04):
on an emotional roller coaster. Why is the drawer you're
getting the same thing. Why have they done so well
against the Steelers Because there's a formula that that's in
place in terms of the way that they play Ben,
and and then they really work hard to not allow
him to get out of the pocket. Because with Ben Roethlisberger,
(19:27):
broken plays equal big plays and and you see it
every single year. He does it to everybody. New England's
historically done a really good job of keeping him in
the pocket. And the flip side of that is when
he is in the pocket, he will hold the ball
a long time, which creates tons of opportunities for sacks
and turnovers. So that's been very good. The second thing
(19:49):
is they're gonna they're gonna define who who can hurt him,
and they're gonna take away the two biggest threats and
force you to win with the third threat or play
left handed, So that's the flip side of that. And
then offensively, for a long time, for a lot of years,
Pittsburgh played one defensive philosophy and and it was very
(20:09):
good and it had variations, but it was one philosophy.
So Tom was very good at recognizing that and Bill
and putting together a scheme that beat it. And they've
evolved somewhat, but it's it's the same head coach, it's
the same her back, it's the same coordinator. And when
they have that type of information on on a defense,
(20:34):
they're hard. Yeah, I mean, like, look it's I mean,
isn't it. I mean this is Layman's terms. Okay, this
is for US civilians, not for you professionals, Um, isn't it?
Just Look their linebackers are bad and coverage they wanted
their they're designed to stop the run. They like the blitz.
But basically, you know, you find the linebacker in coverage
(20:54):
and that's who you attack. Is that is that too too? Well? Look,
look they're there are elements of that. They're gonna find
a weak link and they're gonna attack it. Yeah, that's true,
but it's also understanding what the coverage is. So if
you come out and it's a cover three, which means
you have a soft corner. Tom has the ability. It's
not the ability, because all quarterbacks have the ability to
(21:16):
throw the hits. Tom has the the patients to be
able to take what's there, take what's there, take what's there,
and and not a lot of guys can do that
that there there's there are two ego driven ers. They
feel like they've got to push the ball to a star.
Tom will take what you give them, and it just
adds up collectively. And so if it is the linebackers
(21:37):
that they can exploit, then the work the linebackers. But
there's things defensively that you can do to hide linebackers.
I think Pittsburgh really has to try to give them
things that they haven't seen before. You've got to give
them things to where they're reacting to you instead of
you always reacting to them. Why do you think Pittsburgh
has struggled so much recently, Well, it's it's it's been
(22:01):
a combination of things. You know, different families approach things
different ways. And I've always talked about this with with Pittsburgh,
very rarely do they go through a season without there
being some sort of either internal discord or issue that
they're facing and related to the off season. And they
do go, they do go up and down. But PITTSFORG
(22:23):
was coming off a six game winning streak not too
long ago, and before that we were wondering, you know,
why is Pittsburgh struggled so much this year? Um, I
think it's been been a combination of things. And Uh,
the one thing I know about PITTSFORG though, is you
can't ever count them out because they always seem to
find a way to end up in the playoffs. Yeah.
(22:44):
My concerns though this year is now now you got
now you have no running game, and now you're looking
for a new kicker at this point in time in
the season. Like, yeah, I'm with you. They always find
a way to get in there, and they've been there
so many times that you don't want to play in
the playoffs. It does feel like this might be a
different year. How long will it take, um, the Ravens
(23:05):
to be exploited for their inability to play on third
and long for the inability to read a defense. How
long does it take the league to catch up to
what Lamar Jackson is able to do? Uh, you know,
it depends how much they're going to continue to use
him in the running game, how willing they're going to continue,
or how willing they are to put him at risk
(23:27):
with the quarterback turn runs to make him a primary
ball carry. And when we had Colin initially in San Francisco,
or when Colin came on and seen that's what he did,
and he didn't really hard to deal with, and he
was able to throw the ball at a level that
was was different than than a lot of those wildcat
(23:48):
type quarterbacks. So he was a significant threat. As that
got dialed down, and that threat was was dialed down,
it became a little bit harder to Lee accentuate the
positives yet, So it's gonna depend on Lamar too. Can
he develop that second pitch. Can he get to the
(24:10):
point where he's aggressively reading coverages and and and and
making progress, Because if that stagnates and he becomes your
starting quarterback, there's only a matter of time before he
gets hurt. When you're you're on the ball as much
as he is. Doug gat Them Show, Fox Sports Radio,
Eric Mangini, two time head coach in the nash Football League.
Our guest, of course, you can see him on Fox
(24:32):
Sports one. Are you a buyer into the new look
Dallas Cowboys, I'm a reluctant buyer. I look, I love
the the things that they've done, and I like the
fact that they've made a Marii Cooper the threat that
he is, and I think that really helps zinc. It's
also like these of the tight ends that I've seen.
(24:55):
It's just there's been so much emphasis on we played
this game like the super Bowl. You've got to play
this playoffs. You get worried that that emotion at some
point is gonna run out. But if they do get
in the playoffs, that they're gonna be exhausted by the
time they get there. And that to me is if
we talked about in New England. That's a big difference.
(25:16):
You can you can run on emotion and for a while,
but it gets the point where you know, Um, I
do like the progress, but they've made offensively, and I
do like the fact that they can now threaten down
the field in the passing in it's just hard. I'm
having a hard time completely buying it. Um. The Raiders
(25:38):
seem to be tanking, shedding assets, and they've collected a
bunch of first round picks. Um, you know, look, I
think the media and the press, there's a lot of
negativities like, oh hey, they give away Khalil mcle it's
two first round picks to give away Mark Cooper, it's
first round pick considering they weren't very good with those guys. Uh,
you know, look, obviously you're running the risk if you
miss on draft picks. But if you draft, well, I
(26:01):
like the plan. How do you react to what you're
seeing in Oakland? Well, it's it's a it's a long
term vision and it's not just a draft pick study.
It's the money. And people forget that. People forget how
expensive those two assets would because if you re sign
a Mari Cooper, that that's a very expensive asset. So
you have the same player for a much higher price.
(26:23):
And the same thing with Khalil mack. Now, if you're
gonna get younger players, assuming that you hit on the
draft pick for five years at a very reasonable rate,
and now you can take that money that you saved
and put that towards free agencies. So you do create
a lot of different avenues to improve the team. And
sometimes guys don't fit with the Expach's scheme and the
(26:47):
one thing we do know about Oakland is a John
Bruten's for a long time. So to be able to
do some in your one and may be uncomfortable, it
may be what what not what any they really wanted
and England, but you are put putting yourself in a
position ideally for long term success because if you have
young players on five year contracts at very reasonable race,
(27:10):
you can go on ideally and get you know, for
reasons that that work for you and the chance to
compete for the long term. Eric man Genie, former head coach,
NFL analysts for Fox. Eric great stuff Man, Happy holidays
to your family. Appreciate you being our guest. Thanks all right,
that's that's my pleasure. As always, be sure to catch
(27:32):
live editions So the Doug Dot Leap Show weekdays in
noon eastern three pm Pacific. And the Steelers Patriot game
is interesting because it does feel like the Patriots always
find a way to beat the Steelers, doesn't it Like
that's just first, it feels like they play each other
every year, and then it feels like the Patriots always win.
Matter of fact, go back and look when the Steelers
(27:55):
won the Super Bowl both times. Guess who they did
not come upon, Wait for it, It's the Patriots. So
I find this thing fascinating. I asked Eric Mangini, former
Patriots assistant Jets head coach, Brown's head coach, why the
Patriots always seemed to beat the Steelers. Take a listen
(28:16):
to his response formula that that's in place in terms
of the way that they play Ben, and and then
they really work hard to not allow him to get
out of the pocket. Because we're with Ben Roethlisberger. Broken
plays equal big plays, and and you see it every
single year. He does it to everybody. New England's historically
(28:37):
done a really good job of keeping him in the pocket.
And the flip side of that is when he is
in the pocket, he will hold the ball a long time,
which creates tons of opportunities for sacks and turnovers, tons
of opportunities in sacks. Um look that they have injuries
with James Conner, Ben Roethlisberger has got bruise ribs. They've
(28:57):
lost their last five times they faced the doing on Patriots.
I just I do feel like a little bit of this.
It's kind of like the Rocky movie. Hey, I don't
ruin this way, but Rockle was gonna pull this one out.
Like I haven't seen Creed Too, but I'm thinking I'm
thinking that Creed pulls it out. Is that is that
crazy ramos? Have you seen it? Have you broken down
(29:17):
Creed too? I have not broken down or seen Creed
number two? Have you seen Creed one? Miss Creed one
as well? Just miss it, just barely missed it. You
were I had a screening. I just didn't make it
for that one. You had a screen you had a
free ticket to go see it, and go and go
see it. Yeah, it was. It was a bad night
and I think softball or something that was going on. Yeah, okay,
(29:38):
fair enough. My point is that there's some of these
movies where we know how they're going, like Jurassic Park.
Somehow dinosaurs will get loose, somehow dinosaurs will kill people. Remarkably,
most of the stars of the movie will not be killed,
and there'll be some sort of teasers so that there
could be a dinosaur movie in the future. Fox Sports
(30:01):
Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation.
Catch all of our shows at Fox sports radio dot
com and within the I Heart Radio app. Search f
s R to listen. Live, or let's talk a little
NBA as last night the Lakers, the red hot Lakers
go into Houston and they got a fifty piece from
from James Heart and James Hart. Of course, some of
the officiating called into question, but he has a triple double,
(30:23):
fifty points, ten rebounds, eleven assists le Bron James shoots
the ball well with exception the free throw line, but
twenty nine, five and four not enough, doesn't have enough
help around him, and uh, what was like a one
point game becomes a fourteen point win for the Rockets.
Welcome in. Dante Jones, of course, played with Lebron one
NBA Championship breaks down the NBA. You'll see him on
(30:46):
Fox Sports. He joins us here on the Doug Gottlieb Show. Uh, look,
some of it is just James Harden making contested shots,
But what about the discrepancy in foul shots, the ability
for him to get to the retro line. What's your
what's your take? When you watch the Rockets and James
Harden get to the foul line so often, that's just
(31:08):
what he does, and that's he's made a living off
being able to draw files and live at the free
throw line. He creates contact, and reths are looking for
the ways that he creates contact and and it's very
creative what everybody can't do, and he's a specialist at
it he is. I don't know. I just rewatched the
game a couple of hours ago, and I was a
(31:29):
little bit Look, he had it going, so you keep
going to him. I was a little bit surprised at
how little they used Chris Paul and Chris Paul shooting
the last couple of games. I know he live up Dallas,
but his shooting hasn't been as good as Chris Paul
aged right before our eyes. I think he's just going
through one or those spells of just not being himself.
I don't I think he has a game that that
(31:51):
can age, and I don't. He's not relying on his
quickness or his athleticism. He's relying on his on his brain.
He's so surrebral that he can use a whole lot
of of his skill set and not and be under
the rim and not be super fast. So I wouldn't.
I wouldn't. I wouldn't qualified as as as age. I
just think that he's not in his normal groove right now,
and I think they're struggling as a unit to find
(32:13):
by people that's gonna be on the floor and be
effective at the same time. It's a great point you
bring up that that's actually what I said about Lebron,
which is people are pointing out Lebron's not getting the
free throw line. I was like, look, he doesn't explode
by guys like you can put like a Copellican switch
on him, and he has to be more creative and
how he uses his body and use his angles. He's
he's become a lights out step back three point shooter.
(32:33):
He's kind of got that funky, little awkward step back
that he likes to go to. Um. Do you think
he's avoiding the foul line because he's shooting below sixty
or do you think it's an inability to get a
step like he used to. I don't think it's a step.
I think some of that stuff becomes mental with people
when they struggle from the free throw line, and and
and he and he may be trying not to get
fouled and and not have to be on the line
(32:56):
as much. I know he takes so much contact on
a nightly basis that it does tend to wear on them.
People look at him like he's superman. He's superhuman, But yeah,
just because he may be able to take a thousand
hits and the normal person to take six hundred, but
it's still that after a thousand starts to wear on
him and and and it starts to deteriorate his body.
So I think he's trying to stay it's find his
(33:17):
happy medium between taking some jump shots and not get
hit as much. Dante Jones joining us in the Doug
oat Lip Show on Fox Sport Trader A Right, let's
start with the Lakers. How good do you think they'll
be at the end of the season. I think they'll
be They'll be right in the thick of things because
I think Mats Johnson will try and pull some things
off to make them a better basketball team when it
comes around that trade that line, and I think their
(33:38):
assets after that they require to be able to make
them a team that can compete for a championship, especially
when you have it's it's wide open in the West
right now. I think Golden State is not at full
health and and they haven't played their best basketball yet,
and and who knows if they'll get back to the
boot and said that we know, but guys are are
intrigued because there's no definite front runner in the West
right now that it's going to take it over. Everybody
(33:59):
knows is that the only guy that they would like
to kind of vote off the island would be uh
contavious call well, Pope, right, he's got the one year deal,
he's a little bit overpaid. He would be the most friend. Yeah, yeah, no,
he does so. But but like the other team knows
that too soon, they might not just want to take
the contract. They'll be like, look, we want one of
the young guys as well. If you have to part ways,
(34:21):
there is one of the young guys, who is it?
You have my personal opinion, I think the guy that
that can't go is Kuzma, and then right after him
it's Josh hard Ingram Ingram and Alonzo and I just
don't know what Alonzo. And that's not because they're not
(34:42):
they're not more they're more talented than those guys. But
those guys shipped in the direction that the Lakers are going.
If you understand what I'm saying, I agree, and and
and but and those two also would would would get
would grab you back something that could help you for
the future as well. So I think those two together
on another team could be better than they are right now.
I just didn't don't think that they fit the plan
(35:03):
that Lakers are moving towards in the future. Let's get
to Golden State. You mentioned they're not at full health,
right they didn't have Draymond. Even Draymond is not really back,
and he hasn't shot the ball maybe in the last
calendar year. All that well, and they're waiting under Marcus Cousins.
But I look at that, you know, Iguodala is not
not right, Sean Livingston is aged. I'm just wondering how
(35:24):
different they'll actually be when they do get healthy. See
those injury bugs, and they've been so lucky over the
years to have everyone healthy, and then I have to
go through this, and now that they're going through it,
it just shows you how there are a collection of
great talent. They're not individuals, and Katie might be the
only individual that gets you over the hump in the finals.
(35:46):
But they're at the collection and they thrive off each other,
whether it be Clay Steph and Draymond and the start
in unit. But then you have two great players coming
off the bench and Sean Livingston and Andrea Gadalin. Before
you had um are Bosa and you had you had
guys that could come in and and and and soak
up minutes and the level play would not go down.
(36:07):
Right now, they don't have that same type of bench.
And when when those guys are all healthy and playing together, yeah,
they're full stress. But right now it's hard to piece
and get those guys healthy all at the same time.
And Sean Livingston is looking like he's dealing with stuff
that's trickling over into other stuff and getting him fully healthy,
it's gonna be it's gonna be tough. Okay. And then
you have to add in DeMarcus Cousins at some point
in time in the season. So right here, here's that's
(36:29):
a great question. Dante. You know this way better than
I do, and definitely better than anybody. Listen, if Dante
Jones our guests in the dug out the show, you
get DeMarcus Cousins, who's an all star when healthy. Okay, Now, look,
we have no idea what he's gonna look like coming
off the kill. He's tending, but let's say he's close
to what he was before. He got it. On the
other hand, when they won championships, they've done so starting
a big guy and then they take him out and
(36:50):
then they go small ball. But if you have DeMarcus Cousins,
do you go small ball? And if you go with
DeMarcus Cousins, now that completely changes you defensively. Now you
have two guys and staff and the Marcus. You're gonna
try and hide from the perimeter. How do you think that?
Because here, because when they went smaller both before their
five men was the strength, so they could switch on
anybody and they could guard all types of people. When
(37:11):
you have the Marcus, now now you're defense caters. And
I've been a proponent of they're a great team because
they're a great defensive team. The Marcuts Cousins does not
make them a great defensive team. Like even before Kadi,
everybody says Katie is a defender. Now, no, he joined
a great collection of defenders and it heightened his ability
to defend and made him not stand out and it
(37:31):
showed what it helped him be looked at as a defender.
But it was because of the defense that he was
that was there before he even got there. So now
that you have too non defenders. That's gonna be tough.
Thing was that because they switch a lot, and then
they're gonna have to go to traditional sets of defensive
of pick and roll coverages, and and that's something that
they don't specialize in it. So it's gonna change the
(37:51):
landscape for him. So we're gonna have to see To
be continued, I guess yeah. Listen, you have a great
pulse on all of these guys. There's a story out
earlier this week that the Clippers have this almost unhealthy
obsession with k D and with Kawhi Leonard. They think
they got a shot to get them both. Now, look,
it sounds good in the media and Steve Valmer being
(38:12):
willing to move mountains to get it done, and and
and up until they've gotten blown out the last two games.
Up until those blowouts, you could say, all right, maybe
I could I could see this being a really good story.
They can maybe make the playoffs. In reality, how hard
it pitches it for the Clippers, even with Jerry West
Uh and with Lawrence Frank and with uh, with Doc Rivers,
(38:35):
how hard it pitches it for the Clippers to get
a couple of superstars. I don't think it's a hard one.
I think it's l a number one number two. We're
moving into the new arena. You guys get to move
into a new generation. Be a part of this, this
this this new underground swelling of what's gonna happen in
in Inglewood. Um, I think they're selling that there, selling
the weather, They're selling the organization. Jerry we Jerry West
(38:58):
of the Helm with Lawrence Frank and then you have
a championship coach and Doc Rivers who are putting together
a collection of guys that are gonna play hard on
a nightly basis and are going to be able to
contribute right away. Um they are. They're selling something that
is viable to some people. And I think if you
want to be in l A and you maybe not
want to play with Lebron James, I think it's a
viable option. I think I think it's something to sell
(39:19):
over there. You could be a part of something and
be a part of the resurgence rather than just adding
to a legacy. Um, I want We watched the Raptors
go in and smack them around. Then they went up
and smacked the Warriors around. They did sell with gut
Kauai Leonard. It's hard to get people to buy into
the Raptors because Lebron dusting them off in the playoffs.
It seemed like every year, but it's a different feels
(39:40):
like a different Raptors team. What do you think about
the Raptors so far? I think the Raptors have found
um the answer to all their problems, and they have
a good collection of leadership, youth, leans, athleticism with or
without Kawuai Leonard. Like with Kauai, they're great, but with
alt Kauai they're still great. They still competed a high level.
It's defin at the high level. They get out and run,
(40:02):
they play hard every night, and they're in a position
where they really are going to be okay regardless of
what Kauai does. So I think the future is right
for them because they're in They're in a conference where
they can compete on a nightly basis and compete for
that top slot with or without Kauai in the future,
but definitely this year they have championship aspirations. Um kad
(40:22):
was He's done like everybody's podcast but mine. Dante Jones Jonas,
Why is that why I haven't I haven't nothing. I
haven't asked him. I actually like, Yeah, I like Hitty
a lot, but I mean he's it's not like he
where we we need to hear more from KD. We've
heard him talk, maybe almost too much. So he went,
he went on this one podcast and he said, um,
(40:44):
look when when people come to his house, he makes
him watch Jordan videos, watch Kobe videos because people don't
understand how how Kye He said, Kyrie put Kyrie, Kobe
and UM and m J as like the greatest artists.
He's like, he mentioned Beethoven and Mozart. Read into that
for me. He doesn't mention Lebron and he does mention
(41:07):
those those three read into that for me. What do
you think he means by it? I respect him for
not mentioning Lebron because, um, that shows you that he
is a competitor and that he's looking at him as
his equal rather than somebody he's trying to um emulate.
I think he thinks he's coming. She's trying to come
for that top spot is the greatest basketball play in
(41:27):
the world, and he should be trying to come for.
But um, he spoke of it as like Kobe and
n J. I see what you what you mean because
those guys were artists with the basketball on both ends
of the floor. Um. They had a skill set and
and they honed it, and they worked like maniagly on
on what they did. And he's trying to put some
of those things in his game. Kyrie with his finishing
(41:49):
and his ability to score and make tough shots and
make big shots like those guys are all specialists at
what they do on the scoring into the floor. UM.
So I can understand that. But I appreciate him not
putting Lebron in his anciate Lebron. But it's just a
competitive nature that he has that he wants to come
for that top spot because he by mostly beauty as
the second best play in the world, which is an
(42:10):
awesome thing to be, but he ultimately wants to be
the best. Yeah, no question. I also think that there's
a little bit of and I've heard this from some
NBA guys. I don't heard you say this, but a
little bit of like, hey, Lebron doesn't have that much
game like he's he's got good vision, but he also
is a power forward. Uh in a league without power
forwards and bigs in the lane, and he can shoot
(42:31):
and he can handle, but not like those guys in
terms of refined skill that the league and the style
of play in the style that Lebron plays kind of
all fits and it's allowed him to be an explosive
score even though he doesn't have Maybe the quote unquote
game or skill of those other three is that is
that would I would argue you in another direction because
(42:52):
I think Lebron is like Kobe and m J. There
was no fluff to their games. It was effective moves
to get it and mj Earl in his career had
had a little bit of a handle, but he got
to the point where it was won derable to dribble
pull ups or I'm gonna get to the basket and
dunk on you, fade aways, but it was basic basketball
fundamentals and you just can't stop me. And Lebron is
(43:14):
in that, Like he's six nine to seventy a force
flying at you on the break um. Now he's shooting
the ball exceptionally well from three, and like, I don't
need to do all those other things to get by you.
I can get by you with one drible and do
what I'm supposed to rather than try and put on
the show and try to impress you with skills that
I don't have. I just have the effective basketball skills
(43:36):
to get it done and dominate. And I think him,
m J and Kobe over the same. I mean COVID
Kobe with the use of angles and pivot feet and
fade aways. But he has to because he didn't have
the body of Lebron did so, no question that has
to create those things at that point in time. But
the fade away Bron has to fade away too, like
the one leg fade aways that that he's been shooting
(43:57):
over the past two years. That's something he had to
just stay it from contact because his body breaks down.
The two things super human, but it's not. Yeah, great stuff, Dante,
awesome catching up with you. Appreciate your inside man. Thanks,
thanks for joining. Appreciate you
Thanks for listening to the best of the Doug Gottlieb
Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday
from three to six pm Eastern Time that's twelve to
three Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station
for the Doug Gottlip Show at Fox Sports Radio dot com,
or stream us live every day on the I Heart
Radio app by searching fs R. This is the best
(00:22):
of the Doug Gottlieb Show on Fox Sports Radio. Boom,
What Up America? Doug Gottlieb Show, Fox Sports Radio. Man,
did I feel like an idiot? And then I felt
like the smartest man on Earth? Uh? That's how it
works in sports radio. Told you the boats of Boltz
(00:42):
are pretty good. Uh. The Chargers come from down fourteen
two different times in the fourth quarter to steal a
win in Kansas City. And that's where we begin. Um.
Full disclosure, Okay, full disclosure. The way it works in
southern California. Uh. And the look I had the choice,
I probably could have could have moved right down the street.
(01:04):
Are our studios are in a really nice area. It's
just on an area that I've ever lived in before
I grew up, So I live closer to where I
grew up, closer to my mom and my friends. So
it takes between an hour and an hour and a
half to get home, depending upon the day and time
of day. Usually, Um, the same is true. I think
for our entire crew. Dan Buyer works a little bit longer.
(01:26):
Uh same to a John Ramos and with Ryan Music,
and we had a some sort of Christmas holiday sire
down the street which I had I could drink and
a half and then hopped in my car because my
daughter had a garage band concert. My we do a
basketball workout and I got the game to pay attention to.
So I listened to the game for the most part
(01:47):
and then watch the game on my phone and then
watch the end at my house. Ramos, how much you
were at the you came to the suare so too?
Did Buyer? So to do music. We're the only show
unit in its entire need to show up. That's just
because we're better than other people and because right down
the street and there's free booze. Um, what did you
(02:09):
watch the entire game? Did you watch it? I know?
I know Music had two parties to go to and
then taped it, watched it, fell asleep woke up watched
it again. What was your How did you watch the game?
I actually did what you did on the way home.
I listened to it on the radio. Shockingly enough, Yes,
with our good friend Matt money Smith who calls the
games for the Charges Radio network, and Daniel Jeremiah Show.
(02:32):
Um okay, and then Buyer, how did you? And by
the way, Dan, Buyer Show is Sunday mornings nine eastern
six o'clock in the morning Pacific time, getting you ready
huge weekend fantasy football of course something you have that
game and two other Saturday games in the bank, so
your fantasy playoff will be well underway. Dan, how did
you watch? A listen to the show? One of the
(02:52):
benefits of l A traffic is that you could put
the game on your phone and I watched the first
quarter while sitting in traffic on the way home, and
then saw the final three quarters from my house. All right,
does stick with Usdan? I know you're busy if you
have to go um and then music you watch? So okay,
So let me start with you Buyer. If I had
to say, what's your takeaway from the game? When is it? Um?
(03:15):
That the in the time that they needed it the most.
The Chief's defense was what they were and that Kansas City,
Um yeah, yeah, I'll just leave it at that. Just
the Chiefs defense was what they thought we thought they were. Okay,
what about you music, what would you be your your takeaway?
(03:36):
Very similar to dance that in the early parts of
the NFL season, everyone, especially after that Rams Chief's game
of a few weeks ago, Oh, this is the new NFL.
You gotta score thirty five points a game. It's all
about offensive shootouts. But my takeaway was the Chiefs will
not be a team that will make a deep playoff
(03:57):
run if their defense continues to let them down when
they tip against other talented teams. Okay, uh, Ramos, you're
gonna just agree with them, and that I am not.
My take it would be that Philip Rivers came through
in the clutch that he he did have. There's a
little Tebow aspect to and we used to make fun
of Tebow getting credit for putting on a fire he started.
(04:18):
I mean the first throw of the game, he had
Tyrol Williams wide open, he under throws it, and I
mean the last thing you want to do is you know,
started out down fourteen and nothing, which is exactly what happened.
He threw another interception at the end of the half
that could have tied up the game, like he could.
I felt like he had some good throws in the
first half, but I didn't think he played particularly well
(04:40):
at all at all. Uh And yet late in the
game he made so many throws, including that fourth down
throw which everyone's raving about, where Williams wasn't even looking
and hadn't even you know, started his break yet when
Philip kind of anticipatory throw a lot like Peyton Manning
late in his career, through it before the break and
(05:01):
ends up getting that fourth down. Um, look, I think
there's a bunch to it. Let me just kind of
go go through my takeaways. One, I don't think the
Chiefs are what they were a couple of weeks ago.
And I think a good part of it is, even
though they've established they have a really good depth of
running backs, you'll lose your starter. You're not going to
(05:23):
be as good. And remember I'm not a big Sammy
Watkins guy, but you'll lose Sammy Watkins and you're not
going to be as as good. Considering they're at home,
considering how they dominated the first half with their screen
game and with hard counts Pat Mahomes, I mean, his
escapability was remarkable. People are you know it's Mahomes magic
(05:44):
to be up fourteen the first half and to not
win that game. Forget about the fourth quarter because we've
seen fourth quarter comebacks before. And then yes, there is
their defense. Is their defense bad or disappointing? Sure? And
now you know one of their best defensive backs to
at interception last night ends up breaking his wrist and
has surgery today. Like it feels like it's getting bad
or given getting worse, even with even with Eric barryback um.
(06:08):
But I do think there's something to the fact that
they had a three and out when it was a
seven point game. They could not you know, it's it's
the they could not stay on the football field. Uh,
there were a couple of the opportunity. Was another time
when when Andy Reid chose to punt um and I
think that was after a kick return to like the
(06:29):
fifty yard line and their ten of eleven on fourth down,
and the Charges have really struggled to get off the
field on fourth down. So there is something to the
Chiefs are in postseason form when they have a lead
and can't hold onto it. And is there defense an issue? Absolutely?
Is Ryan Music correct in the old the adage of
(06:50):
defense winning championships couldn't have been wrung more true in
the Chargers defense that couldn't put any pressure on Mahomes early,
but it started to hit him late in the first half,
early in the second half and made some big plays
and made some big plays to get the ball back.
But there is something a little bit missing about that
offense that I think is going is not going to
(07:12):
be pointed out, like, Look, do I think Mahomes is
gonna take too many chances and that's gonna get them? Yeah,
I think there's a possibility of that. Um And I
also think that the Chargers are a team that if
they went out, I don't think. I don't know the
Chiefs are gonna win in Seattle. They can have home
field advantage throughout and they're gonna be better. They're gonna
have Melvin Gordon, They're gonna have Austin Neckler, and I
(07:33):
think they're gonna have a Hunter Henry for the playoffs.
That's crazy crazy, So uh, whereas the Chiefs some through
you know, you have to get rid of your best
running back and that's not something that was that was
preventable or anybody could have seen happening. But you lose
Kareem Hunt and you're not the same running the football
that has allowed you to be different in terms of
(07:56):
what happens when you have a lead. But they couldn't
get a first down late when they needed it. So
we can talk about their defense all we want, but
the offense left a lot to be desired in that
they uh, you know, they weren't able to be nearly
as dominant in the second half. When you have a
lead and you're playing at home, you gotta stay on
(08:16):
the field and keep that defense off the football field
and make it so that the Chargers can't run the
football so they have to throw it. So your your
defensive your defensive line, which dominated the good first half
of the game. That's really I mean, the story the
first half was not as much Mahomes. It was the
defensive line of the Kansas City Chiefs and how well
they played. My dude, Chris Jones is an absolute Chris
(08:41):
Jones has fourteen sacks on the year. How many people
buyer you? You know the NFL, you covered the NFL.
You do a fantasy show, and granted we picked defense
and special teams, and nobody would pick the defense of
the Kanda Chiefs. How many people out out of Kansas
City could pick Chris Jones? Would say? You said, Chris Jones,
(09:03):
what does he do in the NFL? Would say, he
might be the best defensive end in the league this year.
Let's say it is a great third down back for
pick a team. Yeah, no, nobody really would. Usually you
hear Justin Houston and that's that like d Ford only
d Yeah, maybe, but I think it's more of you
(09:25):
may hear Derek Johnson before you had here you did.
No one said can they block Chris Jones christerday. No
one said can they block Chris Jones? And he was
an absolute monster? I mean a monster. How about Justin
Houston only has six and a half sacks this year
forty three yards? Uh loss though, um, But Chris Jones
(09:46):
has fourteen sacks on the year. So look my take.
What do I think their defense is good? No? I
think their defense stinks. I think their linebackers are awful
and coverage. A matter of fact, it looked like Derrick
Johnson was on the field because no one, none of
their linebackers recovering. And this is also a team that's
playing without their starting running back who will expose the linebacker,
and without their starting tight end to expose a linebacker.
(10:08):
That's how bad their linebackers are. But I also think
that the offense couldn't get a first down when it
got the ball back up a touchdown, and Quiet has
kept like that is a huge huge issue heading forward.
What a story though, What a story? I mean, how
good and how good is Philip Rivers? After the game,
(10:29):
he gets up there and he and then the to
to point out that he didn't think they were going
for two and they just society to go for two. Um,
to take a listen to Philip Rivers after the game,
I was going to sideline, it's going over time, and
Coach Land said, let's go win it right now, let's
go for two. Let's go win it right now. And
when he said that, there was so much conviction from him.
(10:49):
It was yeah, let's go win it right now. And
it was immediately turned around, let's go win it. I mean,
and if we didn't win it, we didn't win it.
But I think his conviction it wasn't like it wasn't
it was, no, let's go win the game. Look, I
think this's going going to win the game. Thing is
like the flu, like everybody's kind of got it, and
everybody's feeling like, oh, yeah, I got I must have
a little bit of flu. I gotta go for it,
(11:10):
but uh, I didn't love it. And then all of
a sudden, they run apparently the same play they ran
for Mike Williams touchdown and he was wide open. I
think that's why. I think that's why people are are
more on the defense. It's not that you got beat.
It's not that Philip Rivers came back and let you up.
You know it's Philip Rivers and they do. But it's
(11:31):
they didn't have Keenan Allen, they didn't have Hunter Henry,
they didn't have Melvin Gordon. And on the very last two,
like who scores a two point conversion? Where you are
there's no one within fifteen yards of you. I have
never seen that ever before. And it wasn't a trick play,
just a Mr Simon at the worst possible opportunity. And
(11:54):
how crazy would it be if the Chargers who have
struggled and I am the only Charger fan history of
National Sports Radio. If the Chargers have home field advantage,
everybody do the fingers thing, the finger quote thing, home
field advantage. Playing at Stop Up Seed, it's a great place.
I'm gonna try and rally the boys to go next
(12:15):
Saturday night again, see you, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens
come in town. Be sure to catch live editions of
the Doug Dot Leaps Show week days in noon eastern
three pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the I
Heart Radio app. Let's welcome to Eric Mangini, the former
head coach of the Browns former head coach of the Jets,
are hood coach here at Fox Sports Radio and Fox
(12:35):
Sports One. Eric, how much more buying is there after
watching the Chargers come from behind on the road in
those two environments. Oh look, it's so different points. Because
I'm sure it will be traumatically happen. I can see
why people have some concerns and look at at what
(12:57):
happened against the Steelers, and and they didn't way well
at all in the first half, and and then they
did a great comeback. And that's you. You respect that
and you respect their ability to do those things. But
sometimes the magic dust runs out, and it often runs
out in the playoffs. So if you are going to
dig yourself in the hole, yeah it is. It's fantastic
(13:19):
that you can dig yourself out, But why are you
getting in those places in the first place? And I
think that's where what I've had problem mind and is
at some point you're not going to be able to
creep these comebacks and and the other the others two balls.
Uh yeah, I mean like, look, you don't have Melvin Gordon,
either of those two. And he may not be their
(13:40):
best player, but he's in the conversation there. All right,
let's get to the other side. Um, what's your level
of concern with the Chiefs, who you know, kind of
the opposite right, They're able to get a big lead,
They're able to put up points, but not able to
hold on and manage manage that lead. Yeah. Look, I've
had a love look concerned for a while and and
(14:02):
like everybody, I'm impressed by a lot of things that
that Patrick Mahomes does. But you you learn about young
quarterbacks during the course of the season, and defensive coordinators
learn about young quarterbacks during the course of the season,
and people start to understand how you have to play
play those teams, and and part of this is in
(14:24):
the in those big moments. You'd like to see him
to continue to to make plays in the big games
that he's had to be able to come out with wins,
whether it's it's New England or or last night. And
and maybe I'm being too hard on him at this point,
but it does have to be a collective effort on
(14:45):
the half, the half of of Kansas City to protect
that defense. The defense is obviously behind where the offense is,
and and you've got to play complimentary football. You've gotta
understand that when you've got those leads, Now, what can
we do to make sure we protect these leads? Yeah,
I mean, like, look as much as the defense, uh
(15:06):
gave up those last two touchdowns and a two point
conversion where MIKEA. Williams is wide open. It wasn't like
they got an onside kick. Kansas City couldn't hold on
the football, you know, couldn't play play ad on, couldn't
get three points at home with this prolific offense when
they needed it most. Fair, It's absolutely fair. And and
you know what, you we can start as a team
(15:28):
and and you realize that there's gonna be a lot
of games where you do have those leads, and you've
you've got to look at it in terms of how
can we best protect this? And some teams take the
approach that we're just going to continue doing what we
do because that's what created the success in the first place.
And then other other people have a very specific plan
(15:48):
in place to make sure that that they transition into
a ball control mentality. And both have worked for guys,
but it's gonna be an issue for Kansas City moving forward.
Was it a smart move? I know we we so
often judge the result, and if you can run a
two point play where Mike Williams wide open the end zone,
I guess you know it's a smart move. But in reality,
(16:10):
when you dominate time of possession and you know the
defense on the field thirty three minutes, I know you're
on the road. Was it a smart move for the
Charger to go for two? It's so funny because you
look at Dallas's situation where they get the ball in overtime,
they ground the field and score and and you think, man,
(16:31):
maybe maybe they should have gone for two in that game.
Or you look at Tennessee when they went for two
and they didn't make it and get dramatic effects, And yeah,
you could have dramatic effect against UH for their playoff opportunities.
And so it ends up being a result based evaluation.
(16:52):
But I understand I understand why if they lose the
toss and Ken said it gets the ball back, they
could be very easily in the situation that we saw
in the dallastand last week where they never get a
chance to possess it and they go home wishing that
they had gone for two. So I like the call.
I liked how definitive he was about the call that
it sounds like there wasn't any debate, there wasn't any
(17:14):
indecision in his mind. Obviously the play worked out great,
but you know, rarely do the other guy running free
in that situation, but it makes sense against that offense.
Crazy crazy stuff. And even even more even crazier is
that the UH the Charges could end up with the
same record as the Kandy Chiefs and yet only host
(17:35):
a wild card game not and then then go on
the road either to New England or go on the
road UH, you know to Kansas City in the in
the second round. Let's let's get to New England. Um,
here's one where based upon the result, you think, oh man,
they lost that game. Now you have to win in Pittsburgh.
If you gave me a status report on the Patriots,
what would it be? It would be uh out is quote.
(18:01):
And and that's the thing about being in New England
and and different than a lot of teams. Whether you
win big, whether you lose big, whether you win close
or lose close, it's it's an evaluation of what happened,
what you can take away, and then it's moving on
to the next opponent, and you're not getting caught up
with you know, we could be the home team, we
(18:22):
could be the way team. We could have to do this,
we could have to that. Nobody talks in those terms.
And one of the things that that bill does so
well is maintaining that focus. And it's it's an art.
It's really difficult because there's so much noise happening outside.
It's it's the media, it's your family, it's the fans,
it's everywhere it's talking about the what is. But when
(18:43):
you're in that building, it's only about what's next. And
it really gets down to doug where it's what's the
next meeting, what's the next what's what's the next activity,
whether it's lifting or whatever the case may be, it's
it's that sort of defined approach that gives him the
best chance to succeed and and doesn't put him on
(19:04):
on an emotional roller coaster. Why is the drawer you're
getting the same thing. Why have they done so well
against the Steelers Because there's a formula that that's in
place in terms of the way that they play Ben,
and and then they really work hard to not allow
him to get out of the pocket. Because with Ben Roethlisberger,
(19:27):
broken plays equal big plays and and you see it
every single year. He does it to everybody. New England's
historically done a really good job of keeping him in
the pocket. And the flip side of that is when
he is in the pocket, he will hold the ball
a long time, which creates tons of opportunities for sacks
and turnovers. So that's been very good. The second thing
(19:49):
is they're gonna they're gonna define who who can hurt him,
and they're gonna take away the two biggest threats and
force you to win with the third threat or play
left handed, So that's the flip side of that. And
then offensively, for a long time, for a lot of years,
Pittsburgh played one defensive philosophy and and it was very
(20:09):
good and it had variations, but it was one philosophy.
So Tom was very good at recognizing that and Bill
and putting together a scheme that beat it. And they've
evolved somewhat, but it's it's the same head coach, it's
the same her back, it's the same coordinator. And when
they have that type of information on on a defense,
(20:34):
they're hard. Yeah, I mean, like, look it's I mean,
isn't it. I mean this is Layman's terms. Okay, this
is for US civilians, not for you professionals, Um, isn't it?
Just Look their linebackers are bad and coverage they wanted
their they're designed to stop the run. They like the blitz.
But basically, you know, you find the linebacker in coverage
(20:54):
and that's who you attack. Is that is that too too? Well? Look,
look they're there are elements of that. They're gonna find
a weak link and they're gonna attack it. Yeah, that's true,
but it's also understanding what the coverage is. So if
you come out and it's a cover three, which means
you have a soft corner. Tom has the ability. It's
not the ability, because all quarterbacks have the ability to
(21:16):
throw the hits. Tom has the the patients to be
able to take what's there, take what's there, take what's there,
and and not a lot of guys can do that
that there there's there are two ego driven ers. They
feel like they've got to push the ball to a star.
Tom will take what you give them, and it just
adds up collectively. And so if it is the linebackers
(21:37):
that they can exploit, then the work the linebackers. But
there's things defensively that you can do to hide linebackers.
I think Pittsburgh really has to try to give them
things that they haven't seen before. You've got to give
them things to where they're reacting to you instead of
you always reacting to them. Why do you think Pittsburgh
has struggled so much recently, Well, it's it's it's been
(22:01):
a combination of things. You know, different families approach things
different ways. And I've always talked about this with with Pittsburgh,
very rarely do they go through a season without there
being some sort of either internal discord or issue that
they're facing and related to the off season. And they
do go, they do go up and down. But PITTSFORG
(22:23):
was coming off a six game winning streak not too
long ago, and before that we were wondering, you know,
why is Pittsburgh struggled so much this year? Um, I
think it's been been a combination of things. And Uh,
the one thing I know about PITTSFORG though, is you
can't ever count them out because they always seem to
find a way to end up in the playoffs. Yeah.
(22:44):
My concerns though this year is now now you got
now you have no running game, and now you're looking
for a new kicker at this point in time in
the season. Like, yeah, I'm with you. They always find
a way to get in there, and they've been there
so many times that you don't want to play in
the playoffs. It does feel like this might be a
different year. How long will it take, um, the Ravens
(23:05):
to be exploited for their inability to play on third
and long for the inability to read a defense. How
long does it take the league to catch up to
what Lamar Jackson is able to do? Uh, you know,
it depends how much they're going to continue to use
him in the running game, how willing they're going to continue,
or how willing they are to put him at risk
(23:27):
with the quarterback turn runs to make him a primary
ball carry. And when we had Colin initially in San Francisco,
or when Colin came on and seen that's what he did,
and he didn't really hard to deal with, and he
was able to throw the ball at a level that
was was different than than a lot of those wildcat
(23:48):
type quarterbacks. So he was a significant threat. As that
got dialed down, and that threat was was dialed down,
it became a little bit harder to Lee accentuate the
positives yet, So it's gonna depend on Lamar too. Can
he develop that second pitch. Can he get to the
(24:10):
point where he's aggressively reading coverages and and and and
making progress, Because if that stagnates and he becomes your
starting quarterback, there's only a matter of time before he
gets hurt. When you're you're on the ball as much
as he is. Doug gat Them Show, Fox Sports Radio,
Eric Mangini, two time head coach in the nash Football League.
Our guest, of course, you can see him on Fox
(24:32):
Sports one. Are you a buyer into the new look
Dallas Cowboys, I'm a reluctant buyer. I look, I love
the the things that they've done, and I like the
fact that they've made a Marii Cooper the threat that
he is, and I think that really helps zinc. It's
also like these of the tight ends that I've seen.
(24:55):
It's just there's been so much emphasis on we played
this game like the super Bowl. You've got to play
this playoffs. You get worried that that emotion at some
point is gonna run out. But if they do get
in the playoffs, that they're gonna be exhausted by the
time they get there. And that to me is if
we talked about in New England. That's a big difference.
(25:16):
You can you can run on emotion and for a while,
but it gets the point where you know, Um, I
do like the progress, but they've made offensively, and I
do like the fact that they can now threaten down
the field in the passing in it's just hard. I'm
having a hard time completely buying it. Um. The Raiders
(25:38):
seem to be tanking, shedding assets, and they've collected a
bunch of first round picks. Um, you know, look, I
think the media and the press, there's a lot of
negativities like, oh hey, they give away Khalil mcle it's
two first round picks to give away Mark Cooper, it's
first round pick considering they weren't very good with those guys. Uh,
you know, look, obviously you're running the risk if you
miss on draft picks. But if you draft, well, I
(26:01):
like the plan. How do you react to what you're
seeing in Oakland? Well, it's it's a it's a long
term vision and it's not just a draft pick study.
It's the money. And people forget that. People forget how
expensive those two assets would because if you re sign
a Mari Cooper, that that's a very expensive asset. So
you have the same player for a much higher price.
(26:23):
And the same thing with Khalil mack. Now, if you're
gonna get younger players, assuming that you hit on the
draft pick for five years at a very reasonable rate,
and now you can take that money that you saved
and put that towards free agencies. So you do create
a lot of different avenues to improve the team. And
sometimes guys don't fit with the Expach's scheme and the
(26:47):
one thing we do know about Oakland is a John
Bruten's for a long time. So to be able to
do some in your one and may be uncomfortable, it
may be what what not what any they really wanted
and England, but you are put putting yourself in a
position ideally for long term success because if you have
young players on five year contracts at very reasonable race,
(27:10):
you can go on ideally and get you know, for
reasons that that work for you and the chance to
compete for the long term. Eric man Genie, former head coach,
NFL analysts for Fox. Eric great stuff Man, Happy holidays
to your family. Appreciate you being our guest. Thanks all right,
that's that's my pleasure. As always, be sure to catch
(27:32):
live editions So the Doug Dot Leap Show weekdays in
noon eastern three pm Pacific. And the Steelers Patriot game
is interesting because it does feel like the Patriots always
find a way to beat the Steelers, doesn't it Like
that's just first, it feels like they play each other
every year, and then it feels like the Patriots always win.
Matter of fact, go back and look when the Steelers
(27:55):
won the Super Bowl both times. Guess who they did
not come upon, Wait for it, It's the Patriots. So
I find this thing fascinating. I asked Eric Mangini, former
Patriots assistant Jets head coach, Brown's head coach, why the
Patriots always seemed to beat the Steelers. Take a listen
(28:16):
to his response formula that that's in place in terms
of the way that they play Ben, and and then
they really work hard to not allow him to get
out of the pocket. Because we're with Ben Roethlisberger. Broken
plays equal big plays, and and you see it every
single year. He does it to everybody. New England's historically
(28:37):
done a really good job of keeping him in the pocket.
And the flip side of that is when he is
in the pocket, he will hold the ball a long time,
which creates tons of opportunities for sacks and turnovers, tons
of opportunities in sacks. Um look that they have injuries
with James Conner, Ben Roethlisberger has got bruise ribs. They've
(28:57):
lost their last five times they faced the doing on Patriots.
I just I do feel like a little bit of this.
It's kind of like the Rocky movie. Hey, I don't
ruin this way, but Rockle was gonna pull this one out.
Like I haven't seen Creed Too, but I'm thinking I'm
thinking that Creed pulls it out. Is that is that
crazy ramos? Have you seen it? Have you broken down
(29:17):
Creed too? I have not broken down or seen Creed
number two? Have you seen Creed one? Miss Creed one
as well? Just miss it, just barely missed it. You
were I had a screening. I just didn't make it
for that one. You had a screen you had a
free ticket to go see it, and go and go
see it. Yeah, it was. It was a bad night
and I think softball or something that was going on. Yeah, okay,
(29:38):
fair enough. My point is that there's some of these
movies where we know how they're going, like Jurassic Park.
Somehow dinosaurs will get loose, somehow dinosaurs will kill people. Remarkably,
most of the stars of the movie will not be killed,
and there'll be some sort of teasers so that there
could be a dinosaur movie in the future. Fox Sports
(30:01):
Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation.
Catch all of our shows at Fox sports radio dot
com and within the I Heart Radio app. Search f
s R to listen. Live, or let's talk a little
NBA as last night the Lakers, the red hot Lakers
go into Houston and they got a fifty piece from
from James Heart and James Hart. Of course, some of
the officiating called into question, but he has a triple double,
(30:23):
fifty points, ten rebounds, eleven assists le Bron James shoots
the ball well with exception the free throw line, but
twenty nine, five and four not enough, doesn't have enough
help around him, and uh, what was like a one
point game becomes a fourteen point win for the Rockets.
Welcome in. Dante Jones, of course, played with Lebron one
NBA Championship breaks down the NBA. You'll see him on
(30:46):
Fox Sports. He joins us here on the Doug Gottlieb Show. Uh, look,
some of it is just James Harden making contested shots,
But what about the discrepancy in foul shots, the ability
for him to get to the retro line. What's your
what's your take? When you watch the Rockets and James
Harden get to the foul line so often, that's just
(31:08):
what he does, and that's he's made a living off
being able to draw files and live at the free
throw line. He creates contact, and reths are looking for
the ways that he creates contact and and it's very
creative what everybody can't do, and he's a specialist at
it he is. I don't know. I just rewatched the
game a couple of hours ago, and I was a
(31:29):
little bit Look, he had it going, so you keep
going to him. I was a little bit surprised at
how little they used Chris Paul and Chris Paul shooting
the last couple of games. I know he live up Dallas,
but his shooting hasn't been as good as Chris Paul
aged right before our eyes. I think he's just going
through one or those spells of just not being himself.
I don't I think he has a game that that
(31:51):
can age, and I don't. He's not relying on his
quickness or his athleticism. He's relying on his on his brain.
He's so surrebral that he can use a whole lot
of of his skill set and not and be under
the rim and not be super fast. So I wouldn't.
I wouldn't. I wouldn't qualified as as as age. I
just think that he's not in his normal groove right now,
and I think they're struggling as a unit to find
(32:13):
by people that's gonna be on the floor and be
effective at the same time. It's a great point you
bring up that that's actually what I said about Lebron,
which is people are pointing out Lebron's not getting the
free throw line. I was like, look, he doesn't explode
by guys like you can put like a Copellican switch
on him, and he has to be more creative and
how he uses his body and use his angles. He's
he's become a lights out step back three point shooter.
(32:33):
He's kind of got that funky, little awkward step back
that he likes to go to. Um. Do you think
he's avoiding the foul line because he's shooting below sixty
or do you think it's an inability to get a
step like he used to. I don't think it's a step.
I think some of that stuff becomes mental with people
when they struggle from the free throw line, and and
and he and he may be trying not to get
fouled and and not have to be on the line
(32:56):
as much. I know he takes so much contact on
a nightly basis that it does tend to wear on them.
People look at him like he's superman. He's superhuman, But yeah,
just because he may be able to take a thousand
hits and the normal person to take six hundred, but
it's still that after a thousand starts to wear on
him and and and it starts to deteriorate his body.
So I think he's trying to stay it's find his
(33:17):
happy medium between taking some jump shots and not get
hit as much. Dante Jones joining us in the Doug
oat Lip Show on Fox Sport Trader A Right, let's
start with the Lakers. How good do you think they'll
be at the end of the season. I think they'll
be They'll be right in the thick of things because
I think Mats Johnson will try and pull some things
off to make them a better basketball team when it
comes around that trade that line, and I think their
(33:38):
assets after that they require to be able to make
them a team that can compete for a championship, especially
when you have it's it's wide open in the West
right now. I think Golden State is not at full
health and and they haven't played their best basketball yet,
and and who knows if they'll get back to the
boot and said that we know, but guys are are
intrigued because there's no definite front runner in the West
right now that it's going to take it over. Everybody
(33:59):
knows is that the only guy that they would like
to kind of vote off the island would be uh
contavious call well, Pope, right, he's got the one year deal,
he's a little bit overpaid. He would be the most friend. Yeah, yeah, no,
he does so. But but like the other team knows
that too soon, they might not just want to take
the contract. They'll be like, look, we want one of
the young guys as well. If you have to part ways,
(34:21):
there is one of the young guys, who is it?
You have my personal opinion, I think the guy that
that can't go is Kuzma, and then right after him
it's Josh hard Ingram Ingram and Alonzo and I just
don't know what Alonzo. And that's not because they're not
(34:42):
they're not more they're more talented than those guys. But
those guys shipped in the direction that the Lakers are going.
If you understand what I'm saying, I agree, and and
and but and those two also would would would get
would grab you back something that could help you for
the future as well. So I think those two together
on another team could be better than they are right now.
I just didn't don't think that they fit the plan
(35:03):
that Lakers are moving towards in the future. Let's get
to Golden State. You mentioned they're not at full health,
right they didn't have Draymond. Even Draymond is not really back,
and he hasn't shot the ball maybe in the last
calendar year. All that well, and they're waiting under Marcus Cousins.
But I look at that, you know, Iguodala is not
not right, Sean Livingston is aged. I'm just wondering how
(35:24):
different they'll actually be when they do get healthy. See
those injury bugs, and they've been so lucky over the
years to have everyone healthy, and then I have to
go through this, and now that they're going through it,
it just shows you how there are a collection of
great talent. They're not individuals, and Katie might be the
only individual that gets you over the hump in the finals.
(35:46):
But they're at the collection and they thrive off each other,
whether it be Clay Steph and Draymond and the start
in unit. But then you have two great players coming
off the bench and Sean Livingston and Andrea Gadalin. Before
you had um are Bosa and you had you had
guys that could come in and and and and soak
up minutes and the level play would not go down.
(36:07):
Right now, they don't have that same type of bench.
And when when those guys are all healthy and playing together, yeah,
they're full stress. But right now it's hard to piece
and get those guys healthy all at the same time.
And Sean Livingston is looking like he's dealing with stuff
that's trickling over into other stuff and getting him fully healthy,
it's gonna be it's gonna be tough. Okay. And then
you have to add in DeMarcus Cousins at some point
in time in the season. So right here, here's that's
(36:29):
a great question. Dante. You know this way better than
I do, and definitely better than anybody. Listen, if Dante
Jones our guests in the dug out the show, you
get DeMarcus Cousins, who's an all star when healthy. Okay, Now, look,
we have no idea what he's gonna look like coming
off the kill. He's tending, but let's say he's close
to what he was before. He got it. On the
other hand, when they won championships, they've done so starting
a big guy and then they take him out and
(36:50):
then they go small ball. But if you have DeMarcus Cousins,
do you go small ball? And if you go with
DeMarcus Cousins, now that completely changes you defensively. Now you
have two guys and staff and the Marcus. You're gonna
try and hide from the perimeter. How do you think that?
Because here, because when they went smaller both before their
five men was the strength, so they could switch on
anybody and they could guard all types of people. When
(37:11):
you have the Marcus, now now you're defense caters. And
I've been a proponent of they're a great team because
they're a great defensive team. The Marcuts Cousins does not
make them a great defensive team. Like even before Kadi,
everybody says Katie is a defender. Now, no, he joined
a great collection of defenders and it heightened his ability
to defend and made him not stand out and it
(37:31):
showed what it helped him be looked at as a defender.
But it was because of the defense that he was
that was there before he even got there. So now
that you have too non defenders. That's gonna be tough.
Thing was that because they switch a lot, and then
they're gonna have to go to traditional sets of defensive
of pick and roll coverages, and and that's something that
they don't specialize in it. So it's gonna change the
(37:51):
landscape for him. So we're gonna have to see To
be continued, I guess yeah. Listen, you have a great
pulse on all of these guys. There's a story out
earlier this week that the Clippers have this almost unhealthy
obsession with k D and with Kawhi Leonard. They think
they got a shot to get them both. Now, look,
it sounds good in the media and Steve Valmer being
(38:12):
willing to move mountains to get it done, and and
and up until they've gotten blown out the last two games.
Up until those blowouts, you could say, all right, maybe
I could I could see this being a really good story.
They can maybe make the playoffs. In reality, how hard
it pitches it for the Clippers, even with Jerry West
Uh and with Lawrence Frank and with uh, with Doc Rivers,
(38:35):
how hard it pitches it for the Clippers to get
a couple of superstars. I don't think it's a hard one.
I think it's l a number one number two. We're
moving into the new arena. You guys get to move
into a new generation. Be a part of this, this
this this new underground swelling of what's gonna happen in
in Inglewood. Um, I think they're selling that there, selling
the weather, They're selling the organization. Jerry we Jerry West
(38:58):
of the Helm with Lawrence Frank and then you have
a championship coach and Doc Rivers who are putting together
a collection of guys that are gonna play hard on
a nightly basis and are going to be able to
contribute right away. Um they are. They're selling something that
is viable to some people. And I think if you
want to be in l A and you maybe not
want to play with Lebron James, I think it's a
viable option. I think I think it's something to sell
(39:19):
over there. You could be a part of something and
be a part of the resurgence rather than just adding
to a legacy. Um, I want We watched the Raptors
go in and smack them around. Then they went up
and smacked the Warriors around. They did sell with gut
Kauai Leonard. It's hard to get people to buy into
the Raptors because Lebron dusting them off in the playoffs.
It seemed like every year, but it's a different feels
(39:40):
like a different Raptors team. What do you think about
the Raptors so far? I think the Raptors have found
um the answer to all their problems, and they have
a good collection of leadership, youth, leans, athleticism with or
without Kawuai Leonard. Like with Kauai, they're great, but with
alt Kauai they're still great. They still competed a high level.
It's defin at the high level. They get out and run,
(40:02):
they play hard every night, and they're in a position
where they really are going to be okay regardless of
what Kauai does. So I think the future is right
for them because they're in They're in a conference where
they can compete on a nightly basis and compete for
that top slot with or without Kauai in the future,
but definitely this year they have championship aspirations. Um kad
(40:22):
was He's done like everybody's podcast but mine. Dante Jones Jonas,
Why is that why I haven't I haven't nothing. I
haven't asked him. I actually like, Yeah, I like Hitty
a lot, but I mean he's it's not like he
where we we need to hear more from KD. We've
heard him talk, maybe almost too much. So he went,
he went on this one podcast and he said, um,
(40:44):
look when when people come to his house, he makes
him watch Jordan videos, watch Kobe videos because people don't
understand how how Kye He said, Kyrie put Kyrie, Kobe
and UM and m J as like the greatest artists.
He's like, he mentioned Beethoven and Mozart. Read into that
for me. He doesn't mention Lebron and he does mention
(41:07):
those those three read into that for me. What do
you think he means by it? I respect him for
not mentioning Lebron because, um, that shows you that he
is a competitor and that he's looking at him as
his equal rather than somebody he's trying to um emulate.
I think he thinks he's coming. She's trying to come
for that top spot is the greatest basketball play in
(41:27):
the world, and he should be trying to come for.
But um, he spoke of it as like Kobe and
n J. I see what you what you mean because
those guys were artists with the basketball on both ends
of the floor. Um. They had a skill set and
and they honed it, and they worked like maniagly on
on what they did. And he's trying to put some
of those things in his game. Kyrie with his finishing
(41:49):
and his ability to score and make tough shots and
make big shots like those guys are all specialists at
what they do on the scoring into the floor. UM.
So I can understand that. But I appreciate him not
putting Lebron in his anciate Lebron. But it's just a
competitive nature that he has that he wants to come
for that top spot because he by mostly beauty as
the second best play in the world, which is an
(42:10):
awesome thing to be, but he ultimately wants to be
the best. Yeah, no question. I also think that there's
a little bit of and I've heard this from some
NBA guys. I don't heard you say this, but a
little bit of like, hey, Lebron doesn't have that much
game like he's he's got good vision, but he also
is a power forward. Uh in a league without power
forwards and bigs in the lane, and he can shoot
(42:31):
and he can handle, but not like those guys in
terms of refined skill that the league and the style
of play in the style that Lebron plays kind of
all fits and it's allowed him to be an explosive
score even though he doesn't have Maybe the quote unquote
game or skill of those other three is that is
that would I would argue you in another direction because
(42:52):
I think Lebron is like Kobe and m J. There
was no fluff to their games. It was effective moves
to get it and mj Earl in his career had
had a little bit of a handle, but he got
to the point where it was won derable to dribble
pull ups or I'm gonna get to the basket and
dunk on you, fade aways, but it was basic basketball
fundamentals and you just can't stop me. And Lebron is
(43:14):
in that, Like he's six nine to seventy a force
flying at you on the break um. Now he's shooting
the ball exceptionally well from three, and like, I don't
need to do all those other things to get by you.
I can get by you with one drible and do
what I'm supposed to rather than try and put on
the show and try to impress you with skills that
I don't have. I just have the effective basketball skills
(43:36):
to get it done and dominate. And I think him,
m J and Kobe over the same. I mean COVID
Kobe with the use of angles and pivot feet and
fade aways. But he has to because he didn't have
the body of Lebron did so, no question that has
to create those things at that point in time. But
the fade away Bron has to fade away too, like
the one leg fade aways that that he's been shooting
(43:57):
over the past two years. That's something he had to
just stay it from contact because his body breaks down.
The two things super human, but it's not. Yeah, great stuff, Dante,
awesome catching up with you. Appreciate your inside man. Thanks,
thanks for joining. Appreciate you
Host
Doug Gottlieb
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